Produced with the support of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, the report also found that 84% were satisfied with their agencies.

About a third of those polled said they worked on a temporary basis because they were currently in education, while roughly two-thirds temped because they had been unemployed. The research was carried out in January and February 2008.

Kevin Green, chief executive of the REC, said: “For those who have recently lost their jobs due to the economic downturn, it is crucial to get back into the world of work as quickly as possible, and temping is a key means of achieving this.”

Employment relations minister Pat McFadden added: “This report shows that agency work is an important part of the labour market both for individuals and companies.

“The government wants to make sure agency work can continue to play a role, and also to make sure that agency workers get fair treatment for the work they do.”

The Agency Workers Directive will give temps in the UK equal rights to permanent staff after 12 weeks with an employer.